Shock absorbing device



March 14, 1961 .1. A. szczEPANlK sHocx ABsoRBING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 16, 1957 I NVENT OR JOHN/1. zczEPAA//K `42 ATTORNEY QN Nm.

March 14, 1961 J. A. szczEPANlK 2,974,810

SHOCK ABsoRBING DEVICE:

Filed July 16, 1957 2 sheets-sheet 2 M J4 Z )fo-52425 Z0 FIG: 1./

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United States Patent SHOCK ABSORBING DEVICE John A. Szczepanik, Brooklyn, N.Y., assigner to ACF Industries, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed July 16, 1957, Ser. No. 672,301

9 Claims. (Cl. 213-73) This invention relates to shock absorbing or cushioning devices and particularly to an improved draft and buing gear arrangement for railway cars.

In the development of railway draft gear mechanism, one of the chief objectives is to obtain maximum impact or energy absorbing capacity within the oicial permissible limits of draft gear travel and size of draft gear pocket.

In standard practice, the draft gears at opposite ends of the car act separately and independently of each other, which does not always provide adequate shock absorption, especially of the bung lforces incident to presentday relatively high speed switching operations. Various arrangements of cushion underfrarne, oating center sill and friction wedges have been used to increase energy absorbing capacity, but these generally have been of complicated and expensive construction or not entirely satisfactory in service.

Devices are known which interconnect the couplers at opposite ends of the car, and provide that a bufng force applied to either coupler shall compress the draft gears at both ends of the car before moving the car. In the normal or inactive condition of such devices there must be a distance between the coupler horn and striking plate or element equal to the combined travel of both draft gears. This condition amounts to excessive overhang of the coupler and is a disadvantage obvious to those skilled in the art. v

t is an object of the present invention to provide a novel draft and buiiing gear arrangement for railway cars, of relatively simple construction and with substantially double the bufng impact absorbing capacity of the standard draft gear arrangement.

Another object of the invention is the provision of mechanism as above described in which the gears at opposite ends of the car are connected for transmission of bufng forces from one gear to the other.

Still another object of the invention is to provide mechanism of the type described in which the gears at opposite ends of the car act independently of each other in absorbing draft forces, but act in series to absorb buffing forces.

An important object of the invention is to provide a construction having all of the above described advantages and free of the serious disadvantage of excessive coupler overhang.

Still another object is to provide such a draft arrangement embodying couplers, yokes and draft gear of standard design and dimension so as to facilitate repairs.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a study of the following decription taken with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section showing the draft and bung gear arrangement at the left end of the car in the draft position;

Fig. 1a is a View similar to Fig. l, but showing the device in the normal position;v

,i A ie,

Fig. 2 is a partly sectional side view of the mechanism as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 1a, but showing the device under the impact of bufting forces;

Fig. 4 is a view showing the device at the right end of the car when that at the left end as shown in Fig. 3 is under buing forces;

Fig. 5 is a partially broken top plan view showing the draft gear housing of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation View of the housing shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation view of the housing;

Fig. S is a cross sectional view taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 6;

Fig. l0 is a plan view partly in section of the irnpact transmitting member taken on the line v10-10 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 11 is a side view partly in section of the member shown in Fig. 10, taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 12; and

Fig. 12 is a front elevational view of the impact transmitting member.

Referring now4 more in detail to lthe drawings, while Figs. 1-3 show the draft and bufting gear arrangement at the left end of the car, and Fig. 4 shows it at the right end thereof, it will be understood the arrangement is the same at both ends of the car and a description of one applies as well to the other. VThe device comprises `a draft gear housing 14 rigidly secured by rivets -16 or other suitable means to the ends of a standard Z or similar type center sill 18. As more clearly shown in Fig. 8, the forward portion of the housing is open at the bottom and formed to provide oppositely arranged guide recesses 20 in the sides thereof for slidably supporting an impact transmitting member 22 therein, The impact transmitting member 22 is provided with oppositely arranged wing portions 24 extending into the housing guide recesses 2i), the wing portions 24 being formed with elongated slots 26. Front stops 28 retained in openings 30 in the housing 14 project through slots 26 to limit relative sliding movement of the impact member within the housing, which is reinforced by bosses 31 in the area of openings 39. A draft gear carrier 32 secured in any suitable manner across the open bottom of the housing 14 serves also to retain stops 28 in the openings 30. A coupler 34 having a shank 36 connected by draft key 38 to a yoke 40 within which is any suitable standard type of draft gear 42 is operatively associated with the impact member 22. The draft gear is provided with the usual follower 44 engageable against the front abutment 46 of the impact transmitting member 22 to compress the gear 42 upon application of draft forces.

The tail portion of the impact member 22 is formed with a rear abutment 4S operatively engageable by a rear draft lug Sil slidably associated with the impact member. The arrangement is such that separating movement of the rear draft lug away from the impact member is limited by the rear abutment 48, while inward movement of the draft lug relative to the housing 14 is limited by the extent of inward movement of the impact member permitted by the front stops 2S in slot-s 25. The front face 52 of the rear draft lug is engageable by the rear end of draft gear 42 when under the impact of bufting forces, while the rear face is formed with a cylindrical pocket 54 for receiving the end of a rigid tubular column 55 interposed and extending between the rear draft lugs at opposite ends of the car. As more clearly shown in Fig. 2, guide means 58 formed integral with draft housing 14 slidably support opposite end portions of tubular column 56 therein. The column 56 is coextensive with center still '18, its opposite ends being extended into the housings 1.4 at opposite ends of the car and into the pockets 54 of the rear draft lugs. The column is formed with elongated slots 60 therethrough, as more clearly shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, through which center pins 62 extend at opposite ends of the car at the bolsters. The top portions of the center pins are retained in sockets 64 formed integral with guide means 58 and extend through bottom openings `66 in the guide means and housing 14. The column 56 is thus restrained against rotation in the guide means while being free for longitudinal sliding movement relative thereto. As shown in Figs. l, 2, additional guide and support means for the tubular column 56 is provided in the form of ferrule or similar members 68 welded or otherwise suitably secured within the center sill 1S at intervals between the draft housings 14.

In the normal position the draft yoke and gear assembly is engaged against front face 52 of draft lugs Si) at opposite ends of the car, as shown in Fig. la. In operation, the devices at opposite ends of the car will act separately and independently of each other under draft forces, as shown in Fig. l. Compression of gear 42 in an outward direction by yoke 40 connected by key 38 to coupler shank 36 will transmit the load through follower 44 bearing against front abutment 46 to impact member 22, and thence through front stops 28 in slots 26 to housing 14, center sill 18, etc. Under equal double-ended butiing impacts the devices will also act independently, gears 42 being compressed inwardly by followers 44 against the front face 52 of rear draft lugs Sil, the latter resisting the impacts by their connection through column 56 acting in compression. However, under bufting forces to one end only of the car, gear 42 will transmit the load through rear draft lug 56 and column 56 to the rear draft lug and gear at the other end of the car, compressing the gear there in an outward direction against follower 44, front abutment 46, etc., the same as previously described when the gear is under draft forces. Thus buffing impacts are transmitted from the gear at one end of the car through column 56 to the gear at the opposite end of the car, the latter gear then acting as in draft to further absorb the impact. In other words, the gears at both ends of the car act in series to absorb buffing forces, providing twice the energy absorbing capacity and draft gear travel as when the gears act independently of each other.V Buting impacts are thus finally transmitted to and absorbed at the opposite end of the car underframe structure. The rigid column 56 substantially relieves center sill 18 of compressive forces, making it possible touse a lighter-weight center sill required to act only as a tension member.Y The gears will act substantially the same except in degree whether the struck car is uncoupled or coupled in train. In the lattercase, the gear at the coupled end of the car will offer greater resistance to the impact by reason of its connection with the gears of the next preceding car, and so on through the train, the force of the impact being thus progressively distributed to the gears of the train of cars.

VIt will be noted particularly by reference to Figure 3 that the inward travel of the coupler struck by a buiiing impact has not only caused the coupler horn to approach the impact element 22 as in conventional draft rigging, but also that element 22 has moved inwardly relative to housing 14 and to the car body to the full extent of its limited travel as determined by the front stops 2S engaged in slots 26.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the mounting of the impact element 22 for limited sliding motion in the housing 14 has eliminated the excessive coupler overhang common to prior constructions which utilize the draft gears of both couplers to absorb bung impacts. In such prior constructions, the distance between the coupler horn and the xedly mounted striking plate or element was necessarily as great as the combined travel of the draft gears of both couplers. Imposing such restriction on the design results in excessive coupler overhang, and all its associated problems well known in the art. In my construction, coupler overhang is normal because the distance from coupler horn to striking element, herein also called impact element, is the normal distance, namely a distance approximately equal to the travel of only one draft gear. The struck coupler may travel inwardly twice such distance due to the slidable mounting of element 22 in housing 14. The inward movement of element 22 added to the relative movement between the coupler and element 22 provides the necessary space wherein the struck coupler may move twice the normal distance to provide twice the normal capacity of draft rigging by utilizing the draft gears of both couplers to resist each buiiing impact.

The invention may be modified in various respects as will occur to those skilled `in the art and the exclusive use of all modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

l. In a draft and bufing gear arrangement for a railway car, an outwardly open housing secured centrally to the car at each end thereof, guide means formed on each housing, an impact transmitting member mounted in each of said housings for longitudinal sliding movement along the associated guide means, stop means formed on each of said housings and impact members, said stop means being positioned for engagement to limit relative longitudinal sliding movement of said impact members within said housings, a rear draft lug slidably mounted within each of said impact members adjacent the inner end thereof, a draft and buiiing gear assembly mounted within each of said impact members outwardly of and bearing on said rear draft lugs at opposite ends of the car, and means connecting said rear draft lugs for transmitting buing forces from one gear assembly to the other.

2. In a draft and builng gear arrangement for a railway car, an outwardly open housing secured centrally to the car at each end thereof, guide recesses formed on each housing, an impact transmitting member mounted in each of said housings for longitudinal sliding movement along the associated guide recesses, wing portions formed on each of said impact transmitting members and projecting into said guide recesses, said wing portions being formed with slots therein, stop means fixed in said housings and projecting through said slots, Said stop means limiting the sliding movement of said impact members relative to said housings, a rear draft lug slidab-ly mounted within each of said impact members, a draft and buing gear assembly mounted within each of said impact members and bearing on said rear draft lugs at opposite ends of the car, and means connecting said rear draft lugs for transmitting bufng forces from one gear assembly to the other.

3. In a draft and buffing gear arrangement for a railway car, an outwardly open housing secured to the car at each end and centrally thereof, guide recesses formed in each housing, impact transmitting members mounted 1n each of said housings, front and rear abutments formed on each of said impact transmitting members interiorly thereof, wing portions formed on each of said impact transmitting members exteriorly thereof and extending into said guide recesses for slidably supporting said impact members in said housings, said wing portions being formed with slots therein, front stops tixed relative to said housings and projecting through said slots for limiting sliding movement of said impact members relative to said housings, a rear draft lug slidably mounted within each of said impact members and in bearing engagement with the adjacent rear abutrnents, a draft and buing gear assembly mounted within each of said impact transmitting members and in engagement with the associated front abutments and said rear draft lugs, and means connecting said rear draft lugs at opposite ends of the car for transmitting buting forces from one gear assembly to the other.

4. In a draft and buing gear arrangement for a railway car, outwardly and downwardly open housings, guide recesses formed in the sides thereof, said housings being secured to opposite ends of the car adjacent the longitudinal center thereof, an impact transmitting member mounted within each housing, wing portions formed ou each impact transmitting member and extending into said guide recesses to support said impact members for longitudinal sliding movement in said housings, siots formed in said wing portions, stops secured to the sides of said housings and projecting across said guide recesses through said slots for limiting relative siiding movement of said impact members to a predetermined amount, rear draft lugs slidably mounted within said impact members, a draft and buffing gear assembly mounted within said impact members and bearing upon its associated rear draft lug, draft gear carriers fixed across the bottom of said housings and retaining said stops and gear in operative position, and means connecting said rear draft lugs at opposite ends of the car for transmitting buiing forces from one gear assembly to the other.

.5. In a draft and buing gear arrangement for a railway car, an outwardly open housing secured to the car at opposite ends and centrally thereof, guide means formed on each housing, an impact transmitting member mounted in each housing, support means formed on each impact transmitting member and engaging said guide means to mount said impact members in said housings for longitudinal sliding movement, stop means formed on each of said housings and impact members, said stop means being positioned for cooperative engagement to llimit relative sliding movement of said impact members within said housings, a rear draft lug slidably carried by each of said impact members adjacent the inner end thereof, means on said impact members limiting movement of said rear draft lugs inwardly of the car relative to the impact members, a draft and bufhng gear assembly mounted within each of said impact members and in bearing engagement with the associated rear draft lug, and a rigid column interposed between said rear draft lugs at opposite ends of the car and operable to transmit buing forces from one gear assembly to the other` 6. In a draft and bufting gear arrangement for a railway car, an outwardly open housing secured centrally at each end of the car, guide recesses formed in each housing, an impact transmitting member mounted in each of said housings, front and rear abutments formed on said impact transmitting members interiorly thereof, wing portions formed on said impact transmitting members exteriorly thereof and extending into said guide recesses for slidably supporting said impact members in said housings, slots formed in said wing portions, front stops fixed in said housings and projecting through said slots for limiting to a predetermined amount the sliding movement of said impact members relative to said housings, a rear draft lug slidably mounted within each of said impact members, said rear draft lugs being engageable with the rear abutments of the associated impact transmitting member to limit separating movement in a direction inwardly of the car, a draft and buiiing gear assembly mounted within each impact transmitting member at each end of the car, each assembly being mounted between and operatively engageabie with the front abutment of each of said impact members and with each of said rear draft lugs, and a rigid column interposed between said rear draft lugs whereby said gear assemblies at opposite ends of the car act in series to absorb buing forces applied separately to either' gear assembly.

7. In a draft and buiiing gear arrangement for a railway car having a center sill, outwardiy open housings secured to the ends of the center sill, guide recesses formed in each housing, an impact transmitting member mounted within each housing, wing portions formed on each impact transmitting member and extending into said recesses to slidably support said impact member in the associated housing, longitudinally elongated slots formed in said wing portions, front stops carried by said housings and projecting through said slots for limiting sliding movement of said impact members relative to the associated housing, rear draft lugs slidably mounted within each of said impact members adjacent the inner end thereof, a draft and buing gear assembly mounted within each of said impact transmitting members outwardly of the associated draft lug and bearing thereon, a rigid tubular column interposed between said rear draft lugs and substantially coextensive with said center sill for transmission of buiing forces from one gear assembly to the other, and guide means in said housings siidably supporting said tubular column.

8. The structure of claim 7 characterized in that said tubular column is formed with slots adjacent the ends thereof and said column guide means is formed with sockets, and center pins mounted in said sockets and extending through said slots whereby to restrict rotation of said column in said guide means while permitting relative longitudinal sliding movement thereof.

9. The structure of claim 7 characterized in that said rear draft lugs are formed at their rear end portions to provide cylindrical pockets for the reception therein of the ends of said rigid tubular column.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,950,609 Haseltne Mal'. 13, 1934 1,979,359 Wikander NOV. 6, 1934 2,022,253V Nortz NOV. 26, 1935 

